Vertical wall louver



1 1945- F. H. LESLIE 2,382,075

VERTICAL WALL LOUVER Filed Oct. 51, 1941 I INVENTORQ over the vanes of the louver.

Patented Aug. 14, 1945 UNITED STATES RAT-ENT OFFICEf VERTICAL WALL LOUVER Freeland H. Lesliechicago, Ill. Application October 31, 1941,.seria1No. 417,341 3 Claims, .(Cl. 1s9 s3) This invention relates to vertical wall louvers. More particularly, it has to do with thattype of vertical wall louver having an exterior frame with a set back peripheral flashing.

Vertical walllouvers are of two types. flush type has a flashing around the outside front edge of the louver for mounting the louver flush with whatever surface engages the flashing, as, for example, the wood sheathing of a house. In order to protect the flashing from the Weather, it is customary to lay the siding over the flashing and thereby expose the ends of the siding. Such a job has an unfinished external appearance and frequentlya wooden frame or casing is built. In the case of steel louvers, there has been developed a self-framing wall louver which is characterized by a peripheralflashing set back from the front edge of the louver casing so that the louver will project forwardly of the sheathing of the house. Additionally, a. facing stri is provided for the face of the louver. By this construction the'ends of the siding maybe laidflush with the side of a facing stn'pand it is in consequence unnecessary to frame the louver with a wooden frame in order to make it attractive.

One objection to, exteriorly cased vertical wall louvers now on the market lies in the fact that the vertical facing strips which contribute to the pleasing exterior appearance by giving exteriorly a casing or frame appearance are turned inwardly Because these vanes extend to the forward edge of the louver, at each of their ends they engage these vertical facing members and create pockets within which collect dirt, leaves and the like. While dirt and leaves collected in these pockets are unsightly themselves, the principal objection to them resides in the fact that during a rain the dirt runs down the front of the louver and then makes a streak down the house wall. One object of this invention is to obtain this casing appearance by turning the vertical facing. members outwardly without sacrificing beauty or strength of construction. A feature of this invention contributing toward this end i the employment of a spaced double wall for each of the vertical sides of the louver. These two walls are spaced by whatever distance is thought desirable for the width of the facing strips and then the outer vertical wall is bent at any suitable distance away from the louver to form the flange.

Another objection to existing vertical wall louvers resides in the fact that the lowermost vane which constitutes the sill of the. louver tafuls QIQSS. .V fiQQ 1T B.-QB wh mv t min e The ina horizontal surface leading back to the lower or bottom flashing of the louver. There is a tendencyof water to run "along the underside of this flat edge to the flange and then downwardly behind the siding. Another object of thisinvention, therefore, is to provide a recess between the bottom or drippingedgeof the lowermost vane and the bottom flashing whereby water can only reach-the flashing by first moving upwardly before it can travel horizontally tothe flashing. By this arrangement all water shediby thelouver is forced to drip off the dripping edge.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new-and'improved means of assembling the lowermos't vane with the vertical side walls of the louver so as to prevent-seepage of Water to'the inside of the louver. Generally speaking, building specifications do not call fora louver'sold at a price such that soldering of joints is'warranted. For the most part these vertical walllouvers are spot welded only and joints are not watertight. In assembling the vanes with the vertical walls it is customary to flange down or flange up the sides' of the vanes and spot weld the flangesthus formed to the side walls. It is apparent that seepage of water between the ends'of the vanes 1 and-the'side' walls is possible. It is also clear that such-seepage is immaterial excepting in the case of the lowermost vane. Qne'of the features of this invention is the cutting of the bottom of the vertical side walls of the louver atthe same angle 'asthe slope of the vanes and then flanging the two sides of the lowermost vane (that is the sill) upwardly. The flanges are then placed on the outside of the bottomedges ofithe'vertical wall members so that the sill is a trough forearrying off the water. The inside surface of the two. vertical :side wall members drain into the trough-like'sill and all seepage of water within the house is avoided; Moreover, soldering is unnecessary.

. will alsoapp'earhereinafter, the applicant employs a double spaced wall fabricated from two pieces of metal. By this arrangement it is possiblejtospot weld the vanes'fto the inner wall be.-. fore adding the outer wall. In so doing, visible weldswhich arelunsightly evenwhen painted are reduced to a minimum. j These and such other objects as may hereinafter appear are obtained in one embodiment of the invention shown in; the accompanying; drawing,w eteinr Figure l is'a perspective view of the invention having certain parts cut away; a

sill member I6. The vertical wall members I6 10 and I2 are left and right, the left hand member I0 having a vertical facing strip I8 formed by flanging over the front of the wall member to; substantially right angles with the main body' portion. Additionally, this forward edge of the member I0 is bent backwardly to form the flange 26. The other vertical wall member I2 similarly has a front facing strip 22 and a vertical-flange I 24. The bottom of the two vertical wall memapron 30 of the sill I6. Referring to Figure 3, the flashing 50 which is spot welded to a depending portion of the angulate member 46 has a central portion 58 bent forwardly and downwardly to form a flange 60 which is flush against the apron 30. The apron 36 and the flange 66 are spot welded and it is evident that water dropping from the sill I6 must fall from the dripping edge 62 because it will not climb up the vertical wall of the flange 60 and thence overto the flashing Attention is invited to the double vertical walls of the louver formed by the members In and 44 on the left hand side in Figure 1 and the members I2 and 46 on the right hand side. Spacing the two walls and forming them from this piece of metal makes it possible to assemble the vanes to the inner wall, such as I0, while spot welding bers I0 and I2 is cut at an angle commencing at thelower front or flange side of each-and extending upwardly toward the rear. In applicants louvers the vanes are at an angle of 45 with the horizontal and consequently this diagonal bottom edge of the two vertical wall mem- 25 bers l0 and I2 forms an angle-of 45 with the vertical edge of either member.

The lintel or top me ber I4 has at each end a downwardly directed flange, such as 26, whereby the lintel I4 may be spot welded to the vertical wall members I0 and I2. The sill I6 has two up wardly directed flanges, such as 28, and a downwardly depending apron 30. The corners of the flanges, such as 28, and the upper edge of the apron, such as 32, are suitably sheared to provide ample clearance for quick assembly.

The vertical wall members I0 and I2 are assembled to the lintel I4 and the sill I6 by means of the flanges, such as .26 and 28, which are to spot welded as shown.

Having the framework, the vanes are next added. Referring to Figure 3, each vane has "a main body' portion 34 with a hemmed depending apron 36 and a water bafile at the upper end 38. Each water bafile has a forwardly projecting edge 40. A flange 42 is formed ateach end of the vane, applicant preferring to turn the flange downwardly rather than upwardly because of the improved exterior appearance. Each vane is assembled with the side walls I0 and I2 by spot welding these flanges to the side walls. The vanes slope from the back to the front, applicant using a 45 angle with the horizontal. The vanes are sofspaced that the water baflle 38 and forwardly projecting edge 40 of one vaneis above 65 the depending apron, such as 36, of the vane above. The peripheral flange around the louver consists of four members, two vertical angulate members 44 and 46, referring now to'Figure 1,

a top flashing 48 and a bottom flashing 50, The angulate members 44 and 46 are spot welded to the flanges 20 and 24 of the side wall members I0 and I2. That wall of the angulate members 44 and 46 which acts as a flashing has an 'upwardly extending portion, such as 52, towhich the flashing member 48 is spot welded. The flash ing member 48 has formedintegral therewith a forwardly extending cover 54 and a downwardly directedflange 56. This flange 56 is spot welded 7 to the facing strips I8 and 22, the flanges ;20 and 24 and the adjoining wall of the angulate members 44 and 46 to create a very fine structure.

One of the features of this invention is' the method of joining the bottom flashing 50 to-the through but two thicknesses of metal. This construction is superior to an alternative construction wherein the double vertical walls are not spaced but flush againsteach otherwith the facing strip I8 being merely: an outwardly turned flange. While such a construction is possible and will provide the requisite strength, unless the double wallwere made of'twopieces of ametal, it would be necessary to spot weld throughthree thicknesses of steel in order to attach the flanges. In consequence of this, the, spot welds would appear on, the outside of the louver and would'be unsightly. -By applicants construction the only spot welds which can be seen from the exterior of the dwelling are those along the flanges, such as'20, 24 and 56, and the apron 36.

The spacingof the walls that make up each double wall has the further advantage of providing a support on both sides of the facing'strips I8. and 20. a As mentioned in the introductory portion of this disclosure,.existing louvers simply flange the inneriwall, such as II), over the front cants primary aims could be accomplished by having a. double wall, the two components of whichwere notspaced, and flanging the forward edge ofthe double wall outwardly to get the face strip I8. This,.however, leaves the facing strip I8 unsupported 0n the outside and where clapboards are used, creates pockets for dirt and leaves between itself and the clapboards.

Over the inner surface of the'louver is a screen 64 which is fastened to the top and two side walls by lapping it over and utilizing angle irons, such 'as' 66, see FigureB. The screening is fastened to the sill on its'upper or top side, see'Figure 1, by the simple expedient of covering it with a strip, such as 68, and spot welding it to the Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States,'is:

1. -A vertical wall louver comprising right and left vertical wall members connected at top and bottom by a lintel and a sill, the'front edge of the vertical wall members being flanged outwardly to form a facing strip and again flanged backwa'rdly to form a supporting flange, a plurality said elongated angulate members, and a bottom flashing extending beneath the sill and mounted on the lower ends of said elongated angulate members.

2. A vertical wall louver comprising right and left vertical wall members connected at top and bottom by a lintel and a sill, the front edge of the vertical wall members being flanged outwardly to form a facing strip and again flanged backwardly to form a supporting flange, a plurality of vanes mounted in parallel relationship between said vertical wall members, each vane sloping forwardly, elongated angulate members eachhaving one side fastened to one of said flanges and the other wall of each angulate member extending outwardly from the louver to act as a flashing, a top flashing member extending across the lintel and mounted on the two upper ends of said elongated angulate members, a bottom flashing extending beneath the sill and mounted on the lower ends of said elongated angulate members, an apron depending downwardly from the sill, and a portion of the lower flashing extending forwardly to engage the underside of the sill at points above the bottom of the apron whereby water flowing over the apron will be unable to reach the flashing.

3. A vertical wall louver comprising right and left vertical wall members, the front edge of each of said members being flanged to form a facing strip and again flanged backwardly to form a supporting flange, a lintel member holding the upper ends of the two vertical wall members in assembled relationship, a plurality of vanes disposed in parallel relationship between,said vertical wall members and sloping forwardly, the bottom edge of each vertical wall member being substantially parallel to the slope of said vanes, a sill member having its side edges flanged upwardly, said'flanges being attached on the outer sides of said vertical wall members whereby the sill will act as a lowermost vane and direct water forwardly without seepage at the ends, a depending apron formed from the front edge of the sill, a vertical flashing mounted on the flange of each vertical member and set back from the facing strip, a top flashing extending over the lintel and mounted on the upper ends of the two vertical flashings, and a bottom flashing mounted on the lower ends of the vertical flashings and having an upper forwardly extending portion meeting the inner upper end of the depending apron and joined thereto by a downwardly directed flange.

FREELAND H. LESLIE. 

